Portable ski tow and method of operating same

ABSTRACT

A portable ski tow winch unit with tow cable serving also as a control link between a control switch station on the handle end of the tow cable and controlled actuation means in the winch unit for operating the winch unit either to wind up cable under power or to release cable from the winch spool, thereby enabling the winch to be used to pull itself to the top of a ski hill and when anchored at the top to be used by skiers to ascent the hill.

United States Patent [191 Thompson PORTABLE SKI TOW AND METHOD OFOPERATING SAME [76] Inventor: John L. Thompson, Carbon River Ranch,Carbonado, Wash. 98323 [22] Filed: July 31, 1970'.

' [21 Appl. No.: 59,944

[52] US. Cl. 104/173, 254/150 R, 254/187 R [-51] Int.'Cl. B611) 11/00[58] Field of Search 254/186 R, 150, 168,

254/l75.5, 175.7, 187 R; 180/3 R, 6 R; 2.80/15, 16;242/86.5 R, 86.5 A;272/565 SS, 32; 104/173 R, 173 ST [56] v v References Cited 1 FOREIGNPATENTS OR 'APPLICATIONS 431,598 8/1967 Switzerland. 180/3 R 1 1,121,0394/1956 1 131106., 254/l75.5

'. 555,835 4/1923 France m/254M861! hill.

[ June 19, 1973 OTHER PUBLICATIONS Portable Ski Lift, Popular Mechanics,February 1969, page 153.

Primary Examiner-Anton O. Oechsle' Assistant Examiner-Arnold W. KramerAttorney-Christensen, Sanborn & Matthews [5 7] ABSTRACT A portable skitow winch unit with tow cable serving also as a control link between acontrol switch station on the handle end of the tow cable and controlledactuation means in the winch unit for operating the winch unit either towind up cable under power or to release cable from the winch spool,thereby enabling the winch to be used to pull itself to the top of a skihill and when anchored at the top to be used by skiers to ascent the 8Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PORTABLE SKI TOW AND METHOD OF OPERATING SAMEDESCRIPTION This invention relates to a new and improved system,including method and apparatus, for ski tow applications and the likeand has for its broad object the provision of a practicable andeconomical ski lift device that can be used in relatively undevelopedareas so as to remove some of the effects of pressure of mobs of skierscrowding in on existing commercial facilities in the more developed skiareas.

The invention is herein illustratively described by reference to thepresently preferred embodiment thereof; however, it will be recognizedthat certain modifications and changes therein with respect to detailsmay be made without departing from the essential features involved.

Another object of the invention is to devise a practical method andapparatus of the described nature emphasizing portability, versatilityand safety. A related purpose of this invention is to devise ski towapparatus of a portable nature the manufacture of which in commercialproduction will be greatly simplified by adaptability thereto ofexisting components now in commercial use for other, although unrelated,purposes.

A versatile lightweight and relatively inexpensive device of thedescribed nature which can be afforded by individual families or smallgroups of ski enthusiasts is believed to represent an importantcontribution to the growing recreational needs of the people. At thepresent time commerical ski resorts are overcrowded and the pressure isincreasing. Furthermore, the decreasing number of remaining areas whichlend themselves to development on a commercial scale without interferingwith timber stands, and other land use requirements, or incuring undulyhigh development costs, indicates that there is an end in sight topractical expansion possibilities following present growth patterns.Accordingly, it is believed that a portable and versatile individualizedski tow system will fill an important need inasmuch as it can be used inmany areas which are already available and ready for use without anydevelopment costs and without any interference with other usages of thelands. Numerous areas exist which will accommodate a few skiers orperhaps dozens of skiers, but will not justify an expensive ski liftinstallation on a commercial scale, nor the cost of operation thereofrequiring attendants and related expenses. These areas can be foundscattered throughout the mountains and hilly countries of thecountryside and can also be found in municipal areas such as inparklands, golf courses and sometimes streets that are closed off totraffic during periods of snowfall. By providing a ski tow device whichcan easily be transported by automobile or trailer to these sites,unloaded manually or by simple handling equipment, then moved under itsown power into operating position, an almost limitless number of skiareas can be tion comprises switch means associated with one or.

more handles on the ski tow cable itself and connected by electricalconductors extending through the cable to the winch unit where electriccontrol signals provided by the switch means at the remote controlstation may be employed to start and stop driven rotation of the spool,vary the speed at which the spool is being driven and effect release ofthe spool when the cable is to be drawn from the spool downhill forpicking up another load of skiers. In accordance with this invention thedevice is preferably intended to pull itself up a ski hill to a suitableoperating point at the top of the hill using the tow cable and winchunit to perform the function. Once the winch unit draws itself up by itscable to a suitable operating position at the top of the hill and isthere anchored to a tree or otherwise secured in place, turned aroundnow so that the spool addresses itself downhill, the cable may bewithdrawn from the spool by appropriate controls releasing the spool forrotation. When a sufficient length of the tow cable has been drawn outto reach the bottom of the hill, the unit is then ready for operation totow skiers to the top, the process being repeated any number of times.

Typically, the power unit and control means for the cable comprises aninternal combustion engine and suitable clutching device for releasablyengaging the spool with the power transmission train of the engine. Suchengines, .clutches and transmissions are well known and commerciallyavailable. Speed regulating and speed controlling means of a suitable orconventional nature may also be employed in the power unit so as toenable the winch to maintain more or less instant cable take-up speed ineach throttle setting of the engine despite changes of effective spooldiameter as accumulated wrap of the cable increases.

These and other features, objects and advantages of the invention willbecome more fully evident from the following description thereof byreference to the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a simplified side elevation showing use of the ski tow devicein its normal mode of operation to pull skiers uphill on a ski slopearea.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged side view of the portable winch unit.

FIG. 3 is a front view, and H6. 4 is a top view of such winch unit.

FIG. Z3 is a simplified schematic diagram of a suitable winch unitcontrol system.

FIG. 6 is a view illustrating an alternative means (other than a skierserving his turn of duty) to run the cable downhill for picking -up aload of skiers.

In the illustrated embodiment the power winch unit 10 is shown mountedon a pair of skis 12, the upturned forward ends 12a of which aresituated at the end of the device addressed by the fairlead of the spoolM which carries the tow cable 16. The spool 14 is mounted in a framewith an opening 1% out of which the winch cable is fed through afairlead or level wind mechanism 20, the spool being driven by suitablegearing connected to the gasoline-powered engine 1%, all in a suitableor conventional manner the details of which may vary and are notessential to an understanding of the invention. Preferably, the engineunit 18 is of the gasoline-powered type conventionally employed in powerchain saws and includes a starter cable 20, engine housing 22, fuel tank24, control handle 26 and associated controls such as throttle, choke,and ignition switch which are not specifically illustrated. Provisionmay also be made for a storage rack 2% at the heel end of the supportingskis upon which spare fuel tanks 34} may be mounted along with otherequipment such as a tool kit and the like. Also at this end of the unitthere is provided a fastening or anchoring means 32 to which may beconnected a securing strap 34 for anchoring the unit to the base of atree, stump or other stationary object. The fastening 32 may be mountedon one of the skis or a similar element may be mounted on each ski andthe strap ends connected to the respective elements; alternatively, asimilar fastening 32 may be mounted on a crossbar interconnecting theskis and constituting part of the platform 28.

As will be appreicated, it is readily possible and desirable in mostapplications to provide for changing the speed of cable takeup at willduring towing. This may be done in any of different ways includingshifting gears in the power train between the engine and the winchspool, changing engine speed, or a combination of both techniques. Inthe illustration of FIG. 5 the main tow handle 16a serves as a remotecontrol station. It is provided with switch means 16b with multiplecontactors, l6bl and 16b2 in the example, selectively operable at willby the skier when grasping the tow handle. Actuation of switch contactor16121 to the closed position forms a circuit through the low-speedcontrol electrical conductor 16c extending lengthwise through the towcable 16, and the core cable or ground conductor 16d likewise extendinglengthwise through the tow cable so as to actuate a low-speed controlrelay 40 which sets the engine throttle (and/or the drive train from theengine to the winch spool) for low-speed operation. Alternatively,actuation of switch element l6b2 to the closed position forms a circuitfor the high-speed control relay 42 through the cable conductor 16e andthe ground conductor 16d so as to set the power unit for high-speedoperation. In either setting a speed clutch 44, normally disengaged withthe engine at idle, is automatically engaged so as to form a driveconnection to the cable spool 14. Such a speed clutch is conventional inchain saws and the like. Engine governor means may also be employed, ifdesired; also, variable-ratio drive mechanism operable like a governorbut referenced to the spool and operable so as to maintain asubstantially constant rate of takeup of the tow cable 16 during towingoperations by compensating for the increasing effective diameter of thewinch spool as cable accumulates thereon. in any case it will berecognized that control of winch operation from the remote location of askier using the tow is important to his comfort and safety, also to theprudent operation of the equipment for its protection. Any of differentkinds of operating and speed-changing or regulator control techniquesmay be employed to assure such results within the broad objective thusconceived.

In FIG. 6 there is illustrated a sliding weight 46 to which the handleend or free end of the tow cable 16 may be fastened at 46a so as toprovide one means of pulling out the cable in a downhill direction. Thebottom of the weight is convex so as to slide easily over the snow as atobaggon in an upright position and the top face of the weight is flator otherwise formed or adapted to support the end portion of the cableincluding the handle 16a and auxiliary handles 16g, if the latter aremounted at intervals along the length of the tow cable near such freeend to accommodate a number of skiers at one time. Typically, however,the inanimate weight will not be used, and instead individual skierstake its place by taking turns in drawing cable from the winch 10downhill after each ascent. This function may be facilitated byproviding the skier with a belt B to the back of which the handle 46 maybe fastened leaving the skier with both hands free during the outhauloperation.

. These and other variations in the practice of the invention will beevident on the basis of an understanding of the preferred embodimentdisclosed herein.

What is claimed is:

1. A portable ski tow comprising a sled adapted to be moved on a snowladen surface, and having a winch and power means for driving the winchmounted thereon, said winch having a length of cable wound on the spoolthereof, one end of which cable is attached to the spool of the winch,and the other end of which cable is free of the winch for unwinding ofup to the full length of said cable from the spool, fairleader meansaddressing the free end portion of the cable relatively away from oneend of the sled, means on the opposite end portion of the sled forattaching the sled to a fixed point on the surface, whereby asubstantially fixed relationship can be maintained between the sled andthe point while tension is applied to the cable, electrically actuatablecontrol means interconnecting the power means with the winch, toselectively operate the winch, either in terms of winding the spool orin terms of releasing the same for pay out of the cable, a weightadapted to freely slidably engage the snow laden surface, means on thefree end portion of the cable and the weight whereby the cable andweight can be releasably interconnected to one another, and the cablecan be unwound from the spool by allowing the weight to slide down anincline of the surface while the spool is released for pay out of thecable, and manually operable means on the cable adjacent the free endthereof and electrically interconnected with the control means along thelength of the cable to actuate the control means from a point adjacentthe free end of the cable when the sled is fixed to a point adjacent thetop of the incline.

2. The portable ski tow according to claim 1 wherein the sled attachmentmeans include an elongated flexible member which is connected to a fixedpoint on the sled and extendable to and/or about the point on thesurface.

3. The portable ski tow according to claim 1 wherein the means foractuating the control means includes an electrical switch element whichis carried on a handle for the skier on the free-end portion of thecable, and connected in an electrical circuit extending within the cableto an electrically operated relay disposed on the sled for the controlof the power drive to the winch.

4. The portable ski tow according to claim 1 wherein the weight takesthe form of an inanimate toboggan.

5. The portable ski tow according to claim 4 wherein saidinterconnecting means includes means on toboggan for releasablyfastening the cable to the same.

6. A method of setting up and operating a portable ski lift, comprisingattaching to a fixed point adjacent the top of a snow laden incline orthe like, a sled having a power driven winch mounted thereon which inturn has a length of cable wound on the spool thereof, one end of whichis unwound from the spool and addressed relatively away from the sleddownwardly of the incline; and while maintaining a substantially fixedrelationship between the sled and the point, alternately repeatedlyunwinding and rewinding the cable from and weight takes the form of aninanimate toboggan.

8. The method according to claim 6 wherein before the steps recited, theone end portion of the cable is connected to a point adjacent the top ofthe incline, and the winch is operated to wind the cable on the spooland draw the sled up the incline toward the point, whereafter the cableis detached from the point and the sled is reversed to address the cablerelatively down the incline for the earlier recited steps.

1. A portable Ski tow comprising a sled adapted to be moved on a snowladen surface, and having a winch and power means for driving the winchmounted thereon, said winch having a length of cable wound on the spoolthereof, one end of which cable is attached to the spool of the winch,and the other end of which cable is free of the winch for unwinding ofup to the full length of said cable from the spool, fairleader meansaddressing the free end portion of the cable relatively away from oneend of the sled, means on the opposite end portion of the sled forattaching the sled to a fixed point on the surface, whereby asubstantially fixed relationship can be maintained between the sled andthe point while tension is applied to the cable, electrically actuatablecontrol means interconnecting the power means with the winch, toselectively operate the winch, either in terms of winding the spool orin terms of releasing the same for pay out of the cable, a weightadapted to freely slidably engage the snow laden surface, means on thefree end portion of the cable and the weight whereby the cable andweight can be releasably interconnected to one another, and the cablecan be unwound from the spool by allowing the weight to slide down anincline of the surface while the spool is released for pay out of thecable, and manually operable means on the cable adjacent the free endthereof and electrically interconnected with the control means along thelength of the cable to actuate the control means from a point adjacentthe free end of the cable when the sled is fixed to a point adjacent thetop of the incline.
 2. The portable ski tow according to claim 1 whereinthe sled attachment means include an elongated flexible member which isconnected to a fixed point on the sled and extendable to and/or aboutthe point on the surface.
 3. The portable ski tow according to claim 1wherein the means for actuating the control means includes an electricalswitch element which is carried on a handle for the skier on thefree-end portion of the cable, and connected in an electrical circuitextending within the cable to an electrically operated relay disposed onthe sled for the control of the power drive to the winch.
 4. Theportable ski tow according to claim 1 wherein the weight takes the formof an inanimate toboggan.
 5. The portable ski tow according to claim 4wherein said interconnecting means includes means on toboggan forreleasably fastening the cable to the same.
 6. A method of setting upand operating a portable ski lift, comprising attaching to a fixed pointadjacent the top of a snow laden incline or the like, a sled having apower driven winch mounted thereon which in turn has a length of cablewound on the spool thereof, one end of which is unwound from the spooland addressed relatively away from the sled downwardly of the incline;and while maintaining a substantially fixed relationship between thesled and the point, alternately repeatedly unwinding and rewinding thecable from and on the spool, by releasably interconnecting with oneanother, the cable and a freely slidable weight resting on the ground,and allowing the weight to slide down the incline under the force ofgravity, while the spool is released from the power drive for pay out ofthe cable, and thereafter manually operating an actuator on the cableadjacent the one end thereof, to operate the winch and rewind the cableup the incline while a skier is in tow thereon.
 7. The method accordingto claim 6 wherein the weight takes the form of an inanimate toboggan.8. The method according to claim 6 wherein before the steps recited, theone end portion of the cable is connected to a point adjacent the top ofthe incline, and the winch is operated to wind the cable on the spooland draw the sled up the incline toward the point, whereafter the cableis detached from the point and the sled is reversed to address the cablerelatively down the incline for the earlier recited steps.